All Entries in the "Community" Category

Save The Bay Launches “Litter Free Pledge” Campaign

     PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Friday, June 8 – Today, Save The Bay launches the Litter Free Pledge, a new campaign aimed at reducing litter across the Narragansett Bay watershed, a 1,754-square-mile region stretching from Worcester and Brockton in Massachusetts to Newport and Narragansett in Rhode Island. The Litter Free Pledge invites Rhode Island and Massachusetts residents alike to visit litterfreepledge.com to take the Litter Free Pledge and refrain from contributing even the smallest piece of litter to the local landscape. The Litter Free Pledge campaign’s promotional efforts, coordinated with partner WPRI-TV, also include a #LitterFreePledge social media initiative and a public service announcement.

Individuals taking the #LitterFreePledge are encouraged to post the pledge, their own “I took the pledge!” videos, or one of the campaign’s many “Take Action” tips, on social media; share the information with their families, friends and coworkers; and promote the idea that every piece of litter, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, adds up. After all, in 2017, on one day of cleanups alone, volunteers collected 42,124 pieces of plastic and foam from Rhode Island beaches—not to mention the 36,575 cigarette butts and 22,435 food wrappers.

“One of the difficulties with the issue of litter is that there are so many disposable products out there,” said Save The Bay’s Volunteer and Intern Manager July Lewis. “Many people who don’t think of themselves as litterers still occasionally let a bottle cap drop or don’t bother to chase down a cup that blows out of their hand on a windy day.

“But if every person in the Narragansett Bay watershed dropped just one straw a year, that would be almost two million straws, many of which would end up in the ocean! That’s why the Litter Free Pledge is important,” she said.

Litter has a negative impact on its surroundings the moment it lands. It is a threat both to wildlife and to the health of our waterways, and it negatively impacts tourism and recreation.

“No one wants to see litter in their neighborhoods, in their parks, or on their beaches,” said Lewis. “Save The Bay volunteers have spent countless hours at hundreds of beach cleanups, only to see litter return. The ocean is where a lot of trash ends up, but litter is a problem everywhere.”

The Litter Free Pledge was born from the desire to protect all communities from the persistent presence of litter, which is why campaign organizers are inviting businesses, schools, scouts and community organizations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts to take and make it their own. Partner toolkits including editable logos, social media suggestions and printables are available for download at litterfreepledge.com/partnerships.

Organizations interested in participating in the Litter Free Pledge campaign, or supporting the campaign as a sponsor, should contact July Lewis at jlewis@savebay.org.

Individuals interested in getting further involved with the Litter Free Pledge can learn about volunteer opportunities at litterfreepledge.com/join-a-cleanup.

Birds of the Bay Soar at the Save The Bay Exploration Center and Aquarium this June

NEWPORT, R.I. – June 4, 2018 – Save The Bay’s Exploration Center and Aquarium soars into June by turning a spotlight on our feathered friends, the Birds of the Bay. Visitors to the aquarium in June will learn about the local birds that frequent the blue waters of Narragansett Bay through hands-on crafts, a story hour, a scavenger hunt and the chance to win aquarium-themed prizes. With Memorial Day weekend behind us, the Exploration Center and Aquarium on Easton’s Beach in Newport has resumed summer hours and is now open daily, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

More than 200 bird species from all over the world flock annually to Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. Birds such as the great egret, osprey and the piping plover frequent the shoreline and feed on native fish and invertebrate species, some of which are housed in Save The Bay’s Exploration Center and Aquarium’s tanks. Guests can enjoy a reading of the children’s book, “Where Did All the Water Go?” by Carolyn Stearns, before building their very own bird out of recycled materials, embarking on an aquarium-wide search for bird posters and even winning prizes.

While visitors at the aquarium are learning about local birds, they can also meet the aquarium’s newest arrivals, including a brilliant red sea raven, an electric northern stargazer, frilled anemones and two newborn smooth dogfish sharks.

The Exploration Center and Aquarium is located in the Easton’s Beach Rotunda at 175 Memorial Blvd. in Newport, Rhode Island. The center is open daily 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Memorial Day – Labor Day. General admission is $8 with discounts for military and senior citizens. Save The Bay Family Members can enjoy FREE admission for two adults and up to four children. For more information about the Exploration Center and Aquarium, visit savebay.org/aquarium or call 401-324-6020. The Exploration Center and Aquarium is supported, in part, by Corvias Solutions.

A Perfect Storm: The Collision of Hurricanes, Climate Change and Coastal Population Growth

An evening with WHOI climatologist Jeff Donnelly

Newport, RI (June 2018)– The Newport Historical Society and the Newport Restoration Foundation will co-host an evening with Jeff Donnelly, Climatologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at the Newport Historical Society Resource Center 82 Touro Street, Newport, RI. Wine and cheeseat 5pm in the Resource Center gallery, lecture to start at 5:45pm. Attendance is $10 per person, $5 for Newport Historical Society members and Newport Restoration Foundation tenantsand military with ID. Register online at NewportHistory.org or call 401-846-0813 to secure your spot.

Hurricanes pose a significant threat to coastal populations, but the causes of changes in the frequency of hurricanes are poorly understood. Long-term historical and geological records provide potential analogs for future climate scenarios and indicate that hurricane frequency has varied significantly. Geological proxy records indicate historically unprecedented levels of intense-hurricane activity impacted the American eastern seaboard in the last two millennia. If similar levels of intense-hurricane activity were to return the results would be truly catastrophic, given the recent increase in coastal populations and infrastructure. Most modeling studies suggest that we may experience more frequent intense hurricanes in the future as the Earth warms, but the historical and geological record indicates a complex relationship between ocean warming and hurricane activity.

About the NewportHistorical Society

Since 1854, the Newport Historical Society has collected and preserved the artifacts, photographs, documents, publications, and genealogical records that relate to the history of Newport County, to make these materials readily available for both research and enjoyment, and to act as a resource center for the education of the public about the history of Newport County, so that knowledge of the past may contribute to a fuller understanding of the present. For more information please visit www.NewportHistory.org.

About the Newport Restoration Foundation

Founded in 1968, the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) is dedicated to promoting and investing in the architectural heritage of the Newport community, the traditional building trades, and Doris Duke’s fine and decorative arts collection, for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of all. NRF also supports research and education in areas that relate directly to its collections and to issue of critical concern to the field of historic preservation.

NRF is on Twitter @NPTRestoration, Facebook /NPTRestoration and Instagram @NPTRestoration. Visit newportrestoration.org for more information.

Reed Presents Warwick WWII Veteran with Military Medals

93 year old Providence native gets belated recognition for taking part in the most famous amphibious operation in history

CRANSTON, RI – Nearly three-quarters of a century ago, Warwick resident Frank Amalfetano was helping Allied forces get ashore during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France.  Today, during a special ceremony surrounded by family and friends, U.S. Senator Jack Reedpresented the 93-year-old Providence native and World War II veteran with the medals he earned but never received for his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Among the medals Mr. Amalfetano received were the American Campaign Medal; the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star; the World War II Victory Medal; an Honorable Discharge Button; and an Honorable Service Lapel Pin (Ruptured Duck).

Mr. Amalfetano enlisted in the Navy at the age of 18, and after boot camp was sent to Fort Pierce, Florida, where he trained as a coxswain with Navy Seals Demolition teams.

Mr. Amalfetano was then assigned to his first Landing Ship Tank (LST) in New Orleans, Louisiana.  LSTs were used to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore with no docks or piers.

Mr. Amalfetano was deployed to Europe and sailed to Southampton in Hampshire, England, aboard a ship that was at times pursued by German U-boats as they crossed the Atlantic.

Mr. Amalfetano participated in the D-Day invasion of Nazi-controlled France by Allied forces, transporting British soldiers on his LST to Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches.  Following the invasion, he worked with the Army engineers to sink old ships and create a breakwater so a dock could be built to help unload soldiers and supplies at the beach.  He spent a total of three months at Normandy.

Frank’s brother, Anthony Amalfetano, enlisted in the U.S. Army and was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge.

“Frank Amalfetano is a true patriot and it is an honor to present him with these long overdue medals and our enduring gratitude for his service.  In addition to Mr. Amalfetano, we also recognize his brother and brothers-in-arms who sacrificed everything for the freedom of all of us,” said Senator Reed, a former Army Ranger and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  “We are grateful to Frank for serving his country with great courage.  We must continue to recognize, honor, and celebrate our World War II veterans and all who serve their nation for their great contributions and achievements.”

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Frank ran his family’s ice cream business in Providence (Elmwood Creamery) and eventually opened his own Ice Cream store in Warwick (Jennie’s Dairy Freeze), which he operated for 55 years before retiring in 2003.

According to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, only 620,000 were alive in 2016, including over 2,600 Rhode Islanders.